So, Southern Cal was outgained by Hawaii last night and in the process yielded more yards on defense – 588 of ’em, to be precise – than Tennessee did in any game last season. So much for stepping up in class, Junior.

I hope it’s not too heretical for me to say that I wasn’t quite as impressed with Monte Kiffin’s coaching prowess in his return to the college ranks last year as others were. Sure, he had his moments against Georgia and Alabama (not so coincidently, the two SEC offenses most pro-style), but his boys stunk up the joint against the likes of Ohio, Auburn, Mississippi and Memphis.

Say what you will about the Pac-10, but it’s certainly got its share of very good offensive minds and players who know how to make things go – and don’t go in for the traditional offensive stuff that Monte has etched on the back of his brain. All of which is to say that Chip Kelly’s knees aren’t exactly shaking this morning as he reviews the game tape.

21 responses to “Welcome west, old man.”

“Sure, he had his moments against Georgia and Alabama (not so coincidently, the two SEC offenses most pro-style) but his boys stunk up the joint against the likes of Ohio, Auburn, Mississippi and Memphis.”

I hope Grantham can make the adjustment from facing essentially only one style of offense throughout a season to facing multiple styles throughout a season. I think coaches coming from the NFL sometimes underestimate the challenges of the college game and end up getting badly out-schemed (Charlie Weis).

Found myself staying up ’til all hours of the morning hoping the Rainbow Warriors would hand young Kiffie an L…and they might have if Moniz doesn’t get dinged while running wild through the SC secondary, but alas no L for Kiffie and no schadenfreude for me.
I do take solice in the fact that elder Kiffie’s D looked like a third rate high school program. Every QB, receiver and O coordinator in the Pac10 will be salivating over this game film.
By the way, Hawaii scores a touch at the 6:48 mark of the 4th to pull within 13 and McMackin doesn’t go for 2 to make an 11 pt differential?
Inexscusable.

“Defensively, we didn’t play very well, obviously,” Kiffin said. “I’m really disappointed with everything in general.” And because he’s the General, Lane then ordered his Daddy and his bodyguard O to the brig so they could study film of what the Trojan defense looked like last night.

Quote Of The Day

“The only thing he’s promised me is he’s going to play the best player and that’s the only promise I want,” (Justin) Fields said in an interview on WSB-TV. “I just feel like I bring another aspect to the game with my legs. They’re both great quarterbacks. Of course, they were five-stars in high school. They’re just like me, but I just feel like I bring something different to the table with my ability to run the ball. I always like a challenge, I always like competition. I feel like competition isn’t going to do anything but make another person better. I’m not afraid of a challenge.”– AB-H, 10/11/17